Research Interests

Soy Methyl Ester (SME) as a Concrete Sealant

A soy methyl ester (SME) based concrete sealant has been in development within the research group for several years. A patent was issued in 2012. SME is topically applied to dry concrete and is absorbed into the pore network forming a hydrophobic barrier to mitigate water and salt ingress.

Increased use of Fly Ash in Concrete Structures and Pavements

This research identifies innovative methods to overcome the current hurdles that exist to adopting concrete mixtures with higher volumes of fly ash (HVFA). The provision of internal curing may be beneficial in HVFA mixtures since it provides water for longer time periods so fly ash can further react.

Examining Early Age Conditions in Concrete Pavements

The INDOT – Purdue University APT facility is located at the INDOT Research Division in West Lafayette, IN. The APT is housed in an approximately 2,000 square feet (185 square meter) environmentally controlled building. The APT facility is composed of a testing pit area of 20 foot (6.1 m) wide by 20 foot (6.1 m) long by 6 foot (1.8 m) deep, a loading mechanism and control and monitoring equipment.

Durability of the Concrete due to Transport of Fluids and Ionic Species

The durability of the concrete is largely governed by the diffusive transport of fluids and ionic species. Chloride ingress is widely recognized as one factor that contributes to the corrosion of the reinforcement steel in concrete. The ingress of chloride ions reduces the natural passivity of steel reinforcement and promotes the formation of corrosion products reducing the durability of the concrete.

Early Age Crack Mitigation

The purpose of this project was to assess the cracking potential of lightweight bridge deck replacements. These bridge decks often utilize a large quantity of reinforcing steel, which can significantly restrain the concrete from shrinking. Frequently, regular cracking can be observed when high performance concrete mixtures are utilized for these applications.

Portland Limestone Cement Specifications

The purpose of this project was to assess the cracking potential of lightweight bridge deck replacements. These bridge decks often utilize a large quantity of reinforcing steel, which can significantly restrain the concrete from shrinking. Frequently, regular cracking can be observed when high performance concrete mixtures are utilized for these applications.

Transport Testing Procedures

Following the shift from prescriptive specifications to end results and performance based specifications, the project focuses on transport testing procedures. Its main purpose is the development of new guidelines to relate permeability, exposure conditions and field performance for use in specifications and quality control processes.

Microbially Induced Concrete Corrosion

Microbially Induced Concrete Corrosion (MICC) is a process of concrete degradation typically associated with wastewater treatment and conveyance infrastructure. Bacteria of the species Thiobacillus occur naturally in municipal wastewater and take up residence on the surfaces of pipes, tanks, vaults, and other exposed concrete elements.

Rapid Electrical Testing

Rapid electrical testing of concrete is a versatile method to assess durability. Purdue has been investigating rapid electrical tests such as the surface resistivity, a.k.a. wenner probe, test and the bulk resistivity test.

Development of Cellulose Nanocrystals-Based Cementitious Materials to Achieve High Strength

The research focuses on the development of cellulose nanocrystals-based cementitious materials to achieve high strength. Currently it investigates the structure-function relationship through an integrated approach that combines processing, structural and chemical characterization and state-of-the-art microscopy to unravel the physical mechanisms that underpin the nanomechanics of cellulose nanocrystals/nanofibrils.

Diffusion and Electrical Properties of Concrete

The research focuses on the diffusion and electrical properties of concrete, more specifically, how accelerated aging would affect such properties and how accurate maturity method is in predicting these properties. Also, the research tests the effect of alkali content on the diffusion and electrical properties of concretes, as to how and to what extent.